El renacimiento de la vida

I had an undesirable moment yesterday, and I´m afraid that it only became ugly for the student that I was teaching. Short story - i corrected a moment of bad behavior, and the student refused correction. Long story, i had to write a pink slip after talking with Mr. Hewitt about the problem, and then had to call his parents, and now he´s in In School Suspension for 20 days, and I didn´t even go see him today because I didn´t realize he was there until 7th period. I realized today the amount of power my words have on my students, and the authority that I could choose to either use or abuse. I cried last night thinking about the kid, wondering if my conference with his dad resulted in good or bad at home. His dad was clueless about his son´s life, he didn´t know whether he had passed the grade he was in last year or not. I hope that my student is not in that punishment because of me, but because of other circumstances as well. I hope that he is not making some sort of hit list with me at the top . . . And I found myself worrying today with no need. This evening, as we talked about the journey that our life is taking, I realized even more than ever that I am placed where I am, in Lamesa Texas for a very definite reason. Even if it is to influence one student in my 7th period, snotty nosed, loud and desperately needy class. My prayer today is that I will have the strength to make it to that class every day and teach it with a purpose, with love, and with grace and mercy behind my actions every step of the way.